Removable storage assembly for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A console assembly for a motor vehicle, including a housing and a removable container received by the housing. A handle is connected to the removable container and moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to a console assembly for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to a console having a removable storage assembly.

2. Related Technology

Console assemblies for the passenger compartment of motor vehicles are typically positioned between, or integrated within, the vehicle seats. For example, a console assembly is commonly positioned between the vehicle front seats and referred to as a central console. Alternatively, console assemblies may be located between the rear seats of the vehicle or actually in the front or rear seats.

Console assemblies typically include features such as storage containers, coin organizers, beverage container holders, and the like. Some or all of these features may be removeable from the console housing, and from the motor vehicle in general, for various purposes. For example, a container may be removable from the console housing to allow a user to transport suitable items from the motor vehicle within the container. To secure the removable portions within the console housing, the console assembly preferably includes a selectively-engageable locking mechanism. However, currently-known locking mechanisms are relatively bulky features and do not facilitate engagement of the removable component(s) with the console housing.

It is therefore desirous to provide a console assembly having an improved locking mechanism to secure the removable component(s) to the console housing.

SUMMARY

In overcoming the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a console assembly having a housing, a removable container that is received by the housing, and a handle that is connected to the container. The handle is configured to move with respect to the container between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the container is secured to the housing. Conversely, the removable container can be removed from engagement with the housing when the handle is in the unlocked position.

In one aspect of the invention, the housing and the handle include a slot-tab connection that guides the removable container as it is positioned within the housing. The tab may be defined by the housing and the slot by the handle or vice versa. Such as the slot receives the tab when the container is positioned within the housing.

The handle moves, preferably by pivoting, between the locked and unlocked position. In one embodiment, to permit the pivoting between the handle and the housing, one tab that, during the pivoting movement, rotates but generally does not undergo translational movement (remains stationary) while the other tab orbits about the stationary tab. Also, a first part of a slot receives both of the tabs as the container is being positioned into the housing and another portion of the slot receives the orbiting tab during the pivoting movement of the handle.

In an alternative embodiment, the slot is defined by the handle and the tabs are defined by the housing. Similarly to the first embodiment, the slot extends along a portion of the handle so that a first portion of the slot receives the tabs when the container is inserted into the housing. As the handle is rotated, a second portion of the slot is moved so as to engage, or receive therein, a second tab. The locating of the second tab in the second portion of the slot prevents the container from being removed from the console.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after a review of the following description, with reference to the drawings and claims that are appended to and form a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a console assembly of a motor vehicle embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the console assembly shown in FIG. 1, with the container removed from the housing;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container having been removed from the housing;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the handle and console assembly shown in FIG. 1, where the handle is engaged with the housing in a locked condition;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the console assembly shown in FIG. 1, where the handle is in an unlocked position;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative design of the engagement means between the handle and housing, and wherein the container body is not shown for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6, of the handle and the housing in the disengaged position;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG. 7, where the handle and the housing are engaged with each other in the unlocked position; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that shown in FIG. 7, where the handle and the housing are engaged with each other in the locked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a console assembly 10 of a motor vehicle having a housing 12, a removable container 14 received in the housing 12, a handle 16 for carrying the container 14, and various other storage features, such as a stationary storage container 18 and a storage bin 20. The console assembly 10 is preferably located within the passenger compartment of motor vehicles, such as between, or integrated within the vehicle seats. For example, the console assembly 10 may be positioned between the vehicle's front seats. Alternatively, the console assembly 10 may be located in or between the rear seats. In another alternative design, the console assembly 10 may be located in a storage area of the motor vehicle, such as the trunk or cargo space. The console assembly 10 includes a mounting bracket 22 to secure the assembly within the motor vehicle. Although the mounting bracket 22 shown in the Figures is located at the front of the console assembly 10, the suitable location will be determined by the specific design criteria of the production embodiment.

The container 14 shown in the figures includes a body 23 that defines an internal volume (not shown) and a removable lid 25 that selectively forms a substantially air-tight seal with the body 23. The lid 25 may be completely detachable from the body 23, or it may be pivotable about a hinge mechanism (not shown). The container 14 preferably includes an encapsulating layer formed of a molded plastic material, such as polypropylene, and in an inner or an intermediate layer formed of an insulated material, such as polystyrene, as is known in the insulated cooler art.

The handle 16 is preferably pivotably connected to the body 23 to permit the handle 14 to pivot about an axis 21 between different positions, as will be discussed in more detail below. For example, the handle 14 includes a pair of opposing mounting bosses 27 (FIG. 4) extending away from the inner surface of the handle 16 that are retainably engaged with the body 23 via a pair of opposing connecting depressions (not shown but generally indicated by reference numeral 29 in FIG. 3). The mounting bosses 27 and connecting depressions 29 have a construction that not only retains the mounting bosses 27 in the connecting depressions 29, but also permits the pivoting movement of the handle 16 relative to the body 23. The handle 16 may also include a mechanism (not shown) for securing the lid 25 to the body 23, as is known in the insulated cooler art.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 14 is received within a container recess 24 defined by the housing 12. More specifically, the container 14 is lowered into the container recess 24 along a generally vertical direction 26 until the container 14 abuts the lower surface of the housing 12 that defines the container recess 24. The container recess 24 defines a depth that is preferably great enough to substantially support the container 14. For example, the housing 12 walls 28 defining the container recess 24 may have a height 32 that is at least half as great as a height 30 of the container 14.

To guide and retain the container 14 in the container recess 24, the housing 12 and the handle 16 include interacting tabs and slots. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, a guiding tab 34 and a locking tab 36 extend from a surface of the handle 16 and a slot 38 is formed in the housing 12 so as to receive the respective tabs 34, 36.

Referring to FIG. 2, the slot 38 includes first and second portions 39, 56. The first (guiding) portion 39 further includes an upper portion 41 having a width 40 and a lower portion 43 having a slot width 42 that is less than the width 40. The upper and lower portions 41, 43 transition to each other at a shoulder portion 44.

Similarly, the slot width 40 is slightly larger than a width 48 of the guiding tab 34 and the slot width 42 is slightly larger than a width 50 of the locking tab 36. Thus, the locking tab 36 is permitted to slide past the shoulder portion 44 and the guiding tab 34 is prevented from doing so.

The tabs 34, 36 are separated by a distance 52 that is generally equal to a distance 54 between the shoulder portion 44 and the end of the slot 38. As such, the locking tab 36 is located out of the first or guiding portion 39 of the slot 38, and in the second (locking) portion 56, when the guiding tab 34 engages the shoulder portion 44.

The locking portion 56 is configured to permit the locking tab 36 to slide therein when the handle 16 as pivoted. Thus, the locking portion 56 has an arcuate shape defining a generally constant radius of curvature 60 about the axis 21 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Thus, as the handle 16 is rotated, the locking tab 36 travels along a path 57 having the radius of curvature 60. Therefore, to prevent the guiding tab 34 from orbital movement about the axis 21 and from translational movement with respect to the shoulder portion 44, the guiding tab 34 and the mounting bosses 27 are coaxial with the axis 21.

The locking portion 56 and the locking tab 36 cooperate to secure the container 14 to the housing 12 when the handle is in a locked position 64 (FIG. 1). The handle 16 is in the locked position 64 when the locking tab 36 is not aligned with the guiding portion 39 of the slot 38, i.e. when the handle 16 is not upright or parallel to the guiding portion 39 of the slot 38. Conversely, the handle 16 is in an unlocked position 66 (FIG. 5) when the locking tab 36 is generally aligned with the guiding portion 39, i.e. when the handle 16 is generally upright and parallel with the guiding portion of the slot 38.

The depth of the locking portion 56 varies along the path 57 to further secure the container 14 to the housing 12. More specifically, the locking portion 56 has a smaller depth at the respective end points 57 a than at the middle portion 57 b, thereby urging the container 14 along the axis 21 in a direction away from the slot 38. This urging force causes a snug connection between the container 14 and the housing 12. The difference in the depth of the locking portion 56 between the end points is preferably relatively small to avoid large translational movement of the container 14 as the handle 16 is moved to the locked position 64.

The container 14 also includes a toe portion 61 that abuts a portion of the housing 12 to further prevent vertical movement of the container 14 when the handle 16 is in the locked position 64. More specifically, the toe portion 61 is sloped downwardly and away from the tabs 34, 36 along the axis 21 to fit under a ledge (not shown) of the housing 12. The slope of the toe portion 61 is a relatively small angle, such as to accommodate the relatively small translational movement of the container 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the handle 116 defines a slot 138 having a guiding portion 139 and a locking portion 156. Also, the housing 112 defines a guiding tab 134 and a locking tab 136. In a manner similar to that described above with respect to FIGS. 1-5, the respective tabs 134, 136 are received within the guiding portion 139 of the slot 138 during the initial engagement between the handle 116 and the housing 112. Then, when the container 14 engages the bottom of the container recess 24, the guiding tab 134 engages a shoulder portion 144 of the guiding portion 139 and the locking tab 136 is located within the locking portion 156, as shown in FIG. 8. The handle 116 in FIG. 8 is in an unlocked position 166, as both tabs 134, 136 are aligned with the guiding portion 139. To lock the components 114, 112 together, the handle 116 is pivoted into the locked position 164 such that the locking tab 136 is rotated through the locking portion 156 out of alignment with the guiding portion 139 of the slot 138.

It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of this invention. 

1. A console assembly for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a housing having portions defining a container recess; a container removably received by the housing in the container recess; and a locking member being moveable between a locked position where the container and the housing are locked together and an unlocked position where the container can be moved from the housing, the locking member including a first locking component and the housing including a second locking component interactively engaging the first locking component; wherein one of the first and second locking components includes a tab and the other of the first and second locking components includes a slot; the slot having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the tab is aligned with the first portion in the unlocked position, and the tab being located in the second portion and not aligned with the first portion in the locked position.
 2. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the tab is located on the first locking component and the slot is located on the second locking component.
 3. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the tab is located on the second locking component and the slot is located on the first locking component.
 4. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the locking member is mounted to the container.
 5. A console assembly as in claim 4, wherein the locking member is a carrying handle of the container.
 6. A console assembly as in claim 4, wherein the locking member is pivotable about an axis.
 7. A console assembly as in claim 6, further comprising a second tab located coaxially with the axis.
 8. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the slot has a generally arcuate shape.
 9. A console assembly as in claim 8, wherein the second portion of the slot defines a substantially constant radius of curvature.
 10. A console assembly as in claim 7, wherein the container is received into the housing along a first direction and the first portion of the slot is generally aligned with the first direction.
 11. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the slot includes an upper portion having a first width, a lower portion having a second width, and a shoulder defined therebetween.
 12. A console assembly as in claim 11, wherein a second tab is provided on the locking component having the first tab, the second tab having a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the first tab.
 13. A console assembly as in claim 12, wherein the diameter of the second tab is greater than the second width of the lower portion of the slot.
 14. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the container is a thermally-insulated cooler.
 15. A console assembly as in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the slot has a first depth at a first point and a second depth at a second point, wherein the second depth is less than the first depth.
 16. A console assembly as in claim 15, wherein the tab abuts the second point when the locking member is in the locked position.
 17. A console assembly as in claim 16, wherein the container includes a toe portion opposite the tab that abuts the housing when the locking member is in the locked position. 